Now in its fourth year, the conference brings together students and employees from Minnesota State Colleges and University system schools and regional colleges and universities. This year's theme is We Are the Change: Where Do We Go From Here?

Tavis Smiley is host of the "Tavis Smiley" television show on PBS. On public radio he hosts two shows: "The Tavis Smiley Show" and "Smiley & West." The Indiana University graduate has written 16 books. His latest is "Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto," co-written with educator and philosopher Cornel West.

Cheryl Jacques is one of the leading voices for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. An administrative law judge in Massachusetts, Jacques is a former Massachusetts state senator and former president of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBT advocacy group.

Brown University professor Tricia Rose is author, commentator and social critic. She is best known for books on rap music, including "Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America" and "The Hip Hop Wars." The latter is a critique of contemporary hip hop that, among other things, discusses the genre's celebration of black ghetto excess and dysfunction.

C.T. Vivian is an activist, minister and author who has devoted most of his life to working for the progress of African Americans
and the civil and political rights of all people. As a lieutenant for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Vivian did executive staff work during King's campaigns in Birmingham, Selma, Chicago, St, Augstine and elsewhere.

Speaker, educator,
author, activist and minister Eric Thomas is the very example of success through mentoring. He was plucked from the streets by a pastor who saw great potential. Today Thomas pastors A Place of Change Ministries
in Lansing, Mich., and is an academic advisor at Michigan State University.

California State Sacramento professor Carlos Neverez is an expert on leadership theory and training in higher education. Formerly a doctoral fellow for
the Kellogg Foundation, Neverez has focused on developing
academic programs designed to cultivate transformational leaders.

Institutional partners include Anoka Ramsey Community College; College
of SaintBenedict;Saint John’s University; Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities, Office of the Chancellor; Minnesota State University, Moorhead;
Southwest Minnesota State University; St. Cloud
Technical & Community College and Winona State University.

Hosted in Atwood Memorial Center, the conference is
managed by St. Cloud State's Office of Multicultural Student Services